HALO what?

Well, I finally saw "District 9" last night. Amazing. A few years ago I came across "Alive in Joburg" online and fell in love with it. There was a stroke of brilliance in it that I hoped would one day translate to a full film by that director. I never could have expected that it would be a feature length version of Joburg. For the past 30 years every genre film has basically tried to be Star Wars or Alien/s, I'm so happy to see someone develop a new aesthetic for other people to rip off for a while.

I'm also glad that we are moving past Music Video directors getting feature films and back to commercial directors. People like Blomkamp and Kosinski (Tron 2) who have actually had to tell some form of story in their previous work for hire rather than just make it look good (which they also accomplish). I feel I have been burned far too many times by the "it" music video directors who have made some of my favorite videos coming to feature films and making aimless, pointlessly depressing, and ultimately plotless character studies about hipster assholes, that never lived up to the visual potential introduced by their previous work. You guys all know who you are.

In any case, I was excited when I heard that Blomkamp was going to do Halo. I've never played Halo, but the guy visually had the chops. I'm insanely glad that it fell through because, and again I only know the broadstrokes of the story, I doubt Halo would've allowed for as personal and well fleshed out story as D9. BUT! As I was watching D9 unfold one video game lept to mind that I would love to see him do, and it ain't Halo. It was all solidified when Wickus picked up a pig with what I could only describe as a Gravity Gun and send it flying into a soldier, that I could loosely describe as a Combine. Let's get this guy on Half Life, pronto. Forget Halo. And I imagine it would look a little bit like the image above. (edit: yeah, I did it, you can see a little GD in the corner, thats me!!! :) And here is the original if you are curious...

-GD

COMIC-CON Part Deux: The Stills

While I was handling the video, my special lady was wandering around with the still camera and she did alright. Here is the album. Normally I would edit these more, but whatever.

SDCC PHOTO ALBUM!!!

-GD

COMIC-CON DISASTER SPECTACULAR!!!

Got this done! Alright! Hope you enjoy it.

As usual click through the link for the HD version.

-GD

Beyond Typecast/Truth in Advertising

For those with time on their hands and a keen eye for observation, movie descriptions on your digital cable and OnDemand menus are a source for great amusement. I was flipping through the menus last night and came across this and snapped it for you.

I'm sure that Nancy Allen would be proud to be "the chick from Robocop". And no, I haven't watched this... yet.

-GD

RIP John Hughes

Normally the death of celebs and artists don't have too heavy of an impact on me, even those that I like or even love. But everyonce in a while someone does really hit me, especially when it is a surprise. Today we lost John Hughes, a man responsible for endless hours of entertainment through repeated viewings of his films throughout my youth on afternoons and sleepovers. From Aunt Edna to "Bueller..." to "Those AREN'T PILLOWS!!!" he really helped to shape a decade and a generation of people.

The man became his own genre, something very few are able to achieve. What else can I say beyond watch anything he touched.

The video below, a recent song by M83, would've remained an homage for sometime, but now becomes a tribute.

-GD